Hit woman who was holding baby

When he got drunk on Christmas Day a 31-year-old man hit his partner while she was holding a baby, Banbridge Magistrates Court heard last Thursday.

Kyle McKie, Linen Fields, Banbridge, admitted common assault on a female on December 25 last year.

The court heard that at 10pm police were called to an address in Banbridge.

The injured party said she was going to change her ten-month-old baby when McKie, who had been drinking all day, became argumentative.

She went upstairs to get away from him but he followed and hit her on the side of the head while she was holding the child.

She phoned her mother and she and others adults came over. When he sobered up McKie had little recollection of the incident .

The case had been adjourned from a previous court so that a pre-sentence report could be obtained.

Mr Gabriel Ingram, representing the defendant, said the facts of the case were very serious given the involvement of a child.

He explained that his client was off alcohol at the moment and the pre-sentence report showed that he was remorseful. Mr Ingram added that McKie was back in contact with his partner and working towards a reconciliation.

District Judge Benita Boyd imposed a probation order for 12 months with certain conditions and ordered McKie to pay £200 compensation to the victim.